Truth or Lies? by A. Gomez (book club recommendations txt) 📗

the lights so it would look like everyone was asleep and took a couple of deep breaths. I opened the door slowly, letting Debbie in.

“Why was the door locked?” Debbie demanded.

“Because I was crying and I didn’t want you to just barge in and see me that way.”

“Oh,” she said contrite, eyeing me for a minute and then taking a quick look around the dark room.

I handed her both my bags as if she were the valet. She took them both without protesting. I supposed she was eager to get me out of this house so she was not going to complain about carrying my bags. I put on my cross-body purse and walked out the door with Debbie.

I cracked the door behind me, making sure not to close it all the way. I took a fleeting look around the hallway, noticing a few girls watching me walk away with Debbie. My hands were still shaking and my palms were beginning to sweat. Keep it together, Isabel Grace. You can do this. No one suspects a thing. It felt like we were moving at a glacial speed. I could barely pick my feet up; it felt like I had lead feet.

Debbie took me to Chang’s office instead of the dining room. Oh, thank my lucky stars! This could make things a little easier. She walked in before me and dropped my bags on the floor without saying a word to Chang or me. She turned, smirking at me and walked out, shutting the door behind her.

My heart was pounding. Chang was already pouring our drinks. He had a disgustingly ridiculous grin on his face. No doubt from the sale he just made.

“Ah, Dr. Langley, come in, come in. I have our favorite cognac already out and ready for us to drink. We have at least an hour before we have to leave to deliver you so we can take our time and savor our drink.”

“We? You’re coming too? I thought for sure it would just be me with one of your men,” I said, sounding surprised.

He handed me my cognac as he took a sip of his. “I don’t have to go but I thought it would be better if I went to make sure there are no hiccups. This is a great deal of money and I would hate it if you didn’t get delivered safely.”

I eyed him sipping his drink. Crap. How the hell was I going to get his little goblet away from him to put this damn chocolate in it?

I took a small sip of my cognac. “What an interesting choice of words, Mr. Chang. ‘…I would hate it if you didn’t get delivered safely.’ Safely, being the operative word here, especially since you’re about to send me to a fate worse than death.”

He looked at me, still grinning. “Are you feeling a little… upset, Dr. Langley? Is it because you are leaving me?”

Jeez! Did he really just ask that? In what alternate universe was this freak living in? I decided to play into his delusion. “Yes,” I answered, pouting. “I hate to leave you, Mr. Chang. Being with you has been one of the best times of my life,” I said, smirking at him, thinking I was a great actor. I took a long sip of my drink. I noticed my hands weren’t shaking as much anymore. Huh, I guess a good stiff drink did help. I took another sip.

Chang was smiling even broader now. “Dr. Langley, you overwhelm me once again. I don’t know what to say.”

Say you’ll let us all go and you’ll turn yourself in! I screamed in my head. I placed my drink on his desk and walked over to where he was standing. He was very still, gazing at me, watching my every move. I took his drink from his hand and placed it on a small end table beside him, my eyes never leaving his. I stealthily placed two chocolates in his drink without him noticing. I took his face in between my hands. I felt his body stiffen slightly and then kissed him on the corner of his mouth. He took in a sharp breath. I stepped back and picked up his drink. Caroline was right, the chocolate did dissolve quickly. I gently swirled his drink and handed it back to him. He looked like he was in shock. I picked up my cognac and clinked his goblet to mine.

“To art.” I toasted and sipped my drink. He didn’t move, still staring at me, unblinking. I placed my hand on his elbow and gently nudged it upward for him to drink. He better drink or else I didn’t know what I was going to do. Thankfully, he began to drink. In fact, he downed it so quickly I don’t think he had a chance to taste anything.

My eyes bulged. “Wow. That was super-fast, Mr. Chang. Are you having another?” Please say yes. Please say yes.

“I think I will,” he said, looking red in the face. “Would you like some more, Dr. Langley?”

“Yes,” I smiled. “I think I will.”

He refilled his goblet and poured a little more for me. I sat down on the couch, watching him, waiting for the drug to kick in. How long would it take? Should I give him more? We only have an hour before his watchdogs come searching for us. Maybe the alcohol will help speed things along. He did just refill his glass. Alcohol and drugs—that should be a double whammy—easier to handle him, I would think.

“Come sit next to me, Mr. Chang.” I patted the empty seat next to me. “Tell me about what first attracted you to art.”

He willingly came and sat next to me. His eyes were beginning to look a little glazed and they were beginning to droop. Perfect. He proceeded to tell me about